Consequence of Sound » Keane http://consequenceofsound.net Think Fast, Listen Slowly Thu, 31 May 2012 16:09:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4-RC1-20950 South by Southwest 2012 adds Nas, T.I., GZA, Santigold http://consequenceofsound.net/2012/02/south-by-southwest-2012-adds-nas-t-i-gza-santigold/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2012/02/south-by-southwest-2012-adds-nas-t-i-gza-santigold/#comments http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com//wp-content/uploads/2011/11/sxsw.jpg Wed, 22 Feb 2012 22:45:05 +0000 CoS Staff http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=194765

South by Southwest continues to add to its 2012 music lineup. Among the latest additions are a slew of notable rappers, including Nas, T.I., GZA, B.o.B., Freddie Gibbs, Curren$y, Big K.R.I.T., ScHoolboyQ, Action Bronson, El-P, Murs, and Juicy J.

Other recent adds include Santigold, Norah Jones, Jimmy Cliff, Cults, Tom Morello, Kaiser Chiefs, Keane, Trash Talk,  Ben Kweller, Charli XCX, Lower Dens, Torche, Bass Drum of Death, Father John Misty, Flux Pavilion, New Build, Crocodiles, Japanther, and Cymbals Eat Guitars.

Too see the full list acts confirmed for South by Southwest, visit our Festival Outlook. And stay tuned for additional lineup news and updates — typically, the biggest acts aren’t revealed until just days prior to the festival.

The music portion of South by Southwest 2012 runs March 13-18th in Austin Texas. Registration is now ongoing, with various types of badges to chose from. Click here for all the details.

]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2012/02/south-by-southwest-2012-adds-nas-t-i-gza-santigold/feed/ 0 Interview: Tom Chaplin (of Keane) http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/06/interview-tom-chaplin-of-keane/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/06/interview-tom-chaplin-of-keane/#comments http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com//wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Chaplin.jpg Sat, 19 Jun 2010 04:01:18 +0000 Joe Marvilli http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=42262 If there’s any band in the world that isn’t afraid of wearing their hearts on their sleeves, it’s Keane. From the worldwide success of “Somewhere Only We Know” to the assorted collection of sounds on 2008’s Perfect Symmetry, the band always followed their creative spirits to take them wherever they led. So far, they’ve led to some pretty nice places recently, including the Q Awards, an arena tour in their home country of the U.K., and now an upcoming tour of forests.

The forest tour comes on the heels of their new album, Night Train.  An EP that ballooned into a full-length project, it features some of the band’s most varied work. It’s also a record of firsts for the group, containing their first album collaboration (with K’naan), co-founder Tim Rice-Oxley’s first lead vocal appearance, and their first major sapling (the Rocky theme). Frontman Tom Chaplin covered all these bases and more as he talked about how Keane’s 2010 is going so far.

How did the Night Train album come about?

We had a couple of songs knocking around since the beginning of last year. We thought we’d like to collaborate with someone so we did two songs, “Looking Back” and “Stop For A Minute” with K’naan last April and we just felt excited by that process. So we continued to work on new songs that we had and it turned something that was a small project into something quite a lot better. It kind of snowballed out of control but in a really great way.

Where did the name Night Train come from?

With any kind of record, you want to sum up the atmosphere of what you’ve done. The way this record was made was very much on the move. We went from city to city on our tour for Perfect Symmetry. Wherever we were, we felt creative and excited by the creative process. One of our favorite ways of traveling was on the night train.  We took a night train quite regularly from London to Berlin. The sense of moving from place to place and the sense of eclecticism seemed to reflect the atmosphere of this mixture of songs.

Can you talk about how “Stop For A Minute” came about and what it was like working with K’naan?

It was a song that Tim had come up with. He had the bare bones and we felt like it would be really interesting to work with someone else on it. We had another song called “Looking Back” at the time and that has a really kind of West Coast vibe.  It’s almost like a Kayne West song.  K’naan is someone we’re massive fans of and his edict is very melodic style of hip-hop. We phoned him up the beginning of last year and said, ‘We’ve got a couple of songs, would you be interested in coming to London and working on them?’ It turns out he was a really big fan of Keane and he jumped at the chance. A few weeks later, we were in the studio and making music with him.

Speaking of “Looking Back,” why’d you guys decide to put a sample of the Rocky theme into the song?

It kind of happened by mistake. Tim was telling me that when he originally started writing that song, he had this riff for it going around in his head. He said, ‘I’ve come up with this amazing riff!’ Once he played it a few times and done a little demo of the song, he realized it was exactly the same as the Rocky riff.  It was a case of mistaken identity.  The song developed out of that. It’s like how many hip-hop artists made their records. They started with a sample or an idea and then turned it into something else.

Night Train seems to be an evolution of the Perfect Symmetry sound with a stronger emphasis on synthesizers.  Is that a direction you’d like to continue pursuing and what drew the band to that sound in the first place?

I don’t really know whether we have a particularly strong idea of how we’re going to go forward. We’re just very open to lots of different ways of working now. One of the good things this record has afforded us is that sense of freedom.  You can be very eclectic, do something very different, and not be afraid. Judging from the reaction, people are very responsive to that kind of thing.

We haven’t really made up our minds.  We have an enormous collection of synths in our studio. That being said, we have an enormous collection of pianos, guitars, and drums. We feel we can use anything in our musical palette.  There aren’t any constraints. The songs themselves will dictate how we move forward.

What’s your favorite song off the new album and why?

I think one of my favorites is “Your Love”.  It’s got Tim singing on it which is a first for Keane. We’re pretty excited about that. I think it’s a very sad and powerful song about that sense a lot of people get of clinging on to old romances.  It’s a sense of nostalgia or melancholy about the past. He captures that feeling well. It really resonates with me.

Had we gone into the studio intending to make a full album, I don’t think we would have given Tim the job of singing.  But because of the way we made this record, we just ran out of time to record my vocals for it. The longer we lived with the demo vocal Tim had done for it, the more we liked it. I really love that song and love the spirit in which it came about as well.

Is there anything you would change about the record?

No, I think it’s a really good document of where we are as a band. We feel really confident about trying new things and having an eclectic approach to how we go about making our music. I personally wouldn’t change the EP at all. It’s kind of mad curiosity. It’s got a lot of different ideas. It’s a mad mixture of songs but it seems to work really well as a cohesive thing. I think that variation works well as a great feature of it.

You’re about to embark on a tour of forests in the U.K.  How did the idea for that come about?

It was born out of not wanting to overkill here in the U.K. We did a big arena tour last year. Partly ’cause of the way we made this record and partly because of where we are at the moment, we couldn’t justify doing another big, bombastic arena tour.  We wanted to do something that was a bit more earthy and different. We heard about this circuit of forest tours in the U.K. and a couple of bands had done it before. It’s a magical setting for playing music and for people to hang out, get drunk, and have a good time. We just thought it fit in perfectly with what Keane does as a band.  I really think it’ll be a beautiful setting for listening to music.

What can fans expect from those shows and your upcoming North American tour?

We’re definitely going to be playing a lot of the new songs. We’re pretty excited about them. We feel like we’re constantly developing as a band and that’s really exciting for us. We always aim to surprise people. It’ll be exciting, visceral, and fun. The great thing about Keane shows is that people come with a real desire to let go and immerse themselves in the songs. We’re not ashamed that we’re a very emotive band. People really love to sing their hearts out and let go of their worries.

]]> Perfect Symmetry, the band always followed their creative spirits to take them wherever they led. So far, they've led to some pretty nice places recently, including the Q Awards, an arena tour in their home country of the U.K., and now an upcoming tour of forests. The forest tour comes on the heels of their new album, Night Train.  An EP that ballooned into a full-length project, it features some of the band’s most varied work. It’s also a record of firsts for the group, containing their first album collaboration (with K’naan), co-founder Tim Rice-Oxley’s first lead vocal appearance, and their first major sapling (the Rocky theme). Frontman Tom Chaplin covered all these bases and more as he talked about how Keane’s 2010 is going so far. How did the Night Train album come about? We had a couple of songs knocking around since the beginning of last year. We thought we’d like to collaborate with someone so we did two songs, “Looking Back” and “Stop For A Minute” with K’naan last April and we just felt excited by that process. So we continued to work on new songs that we had and it turned something that was a small project into something quite a lot better. It kind of snowballed out of control but in a really great way. Where did the name Night Train come from? With any kind of record, you want to sum up the atmosphere of what you’ve done. The way this record was made was very much on the move. We went from city to city on our tour for Perfect Symmetry. Wherever we were, we felt creative and excited by the creative process. One of our favorite ways of traveling was on the night train.  We took a night train quite regularly from London to Berlin. The sense of moving from place to place and the sense of eclecticism seemed to reflect the atmosphere of this mixture of songs. Can you talk about how “Stop For A Minute” came about and what it was like working with K’naan? It was a song that Tim had come up with. He had the bare bones and we felt like it would be really interesting to work with someone else on it. We had another song called “Looking Back” at the time and that has a really kind of West Coast vibe.  It’s almost like a Kayne West song.  K’naan is someone we’re massive fans of and his edict is very melodic style of hip-hop. We phoned him up the beginning of last year and said, ‘We’ve got a couple of songs, would you be interested in coming to London and working on them?’ It turns out he was a really big fan of Keane and he jumped at the chance. A few weeks later, we were in the studio and making music with him. [youtube zI9C9j0QgU4] Speaking of “Looking Back,” why’d you guys decide to put a sample of the Rocky theme into the song? It kind of happened by mistake. Tim was telling me that when he originally started writing that song, he had this riff for it going around in his head. He said, ‘I’ve come up with this amazing riff!’ Once he played it a few times and done a little demo of the song, he realized it was exactly the same as the Rocky riff.  It was a case of mistaken identity.  The song developed out of that. It’s like how many hip-hop artists made their records. They started with a sample or an idea and then turned it into something else. Night Train seems to be an evolution of the Perfect Symmetry sound with a stronger emphasis on synthesizers.  Is that a direction you’d like to continue pursuing and what drew the band to that sound in the first place? I don’t really know whether we have a particularly strong idea of how we’re going to go forward. We’re just very open to lots of different ways of working now. One of the good things this record has afforded us is that sense of freedom.  You can be very eclectic, do something very different, and not be afraid. Judging from the reaction, people are very responsive to that kind of thing. We haven’t really made up our minds.  We have an enormous collection of synths in our studio. That being said, we have an enormous collection of pianos, guitars, and drums. We feel we can use anything in our musical palette.  There aren’t any constraints. The songs themselves will dictate how we move forward. What’s your favorite song off the new album and why? I think one of my favorites is “Your Love”.  It’s got Tim singing on it which is a first for Keane. We’re pretty excited about that. I think it’s a very sad and powerful song about that sense a lot of people get of clinging on to old romances.  It’s a sense of nostalgia or melancholy about the past. He captures that feeling well. It really resonates with me. Had we gone into the studio intending to make a full album, I don’t think we would have given Tim the job of singing.  But because of the way we made this record, we just ran out of time to record my vocals for it. The longer we lived with the demo vocal Tim had done for it, the more we liked it. I really love that song and love the spirit in which it came about as well. [youtube wnGWsOo2haE] Is there anything you would change about the record? No, I think it’s a really good document of where we are as a band. We feel really confident about trying new things and having an eclectic approach to how we go about making our music. I personally wouldn’t change the EP at all. It’s kind of mad curiosity. It’s got a lot of different ideas. It’s a mad mixture of songs but it seems to work really well as a cohesive thing. I think that variation works well as a great feature of it. You’re about to embark on a tour of forests in the U.K.  How did the idea for that come about? It was born out of not wanting to overkill here in the U.K. We did a big arena tour last year. Partly 'cause of the way we made this record and partly because of where we are at the moment, we couldn’t justify doing another big, bombastic arena tour.  We wanted to do something that was a bit more earthy and different. We heard about this circuit of forest tours in the U.K. and a couple of bands had done it before. It’s a magical setting for playing music and for people to hang out, get drunk, and have a good time. We just thought it fit in perfectly with what Keane does as a band.  I really think it’ll be a beautiful setting for listening to music. What can fans expect from those shows and your upcoming North American tour? We’re definitely going to be playing a lot of the new songs. We’re pretty excited about them. We feel like we’re constantly developing as a band and that’s really exciting for us. We always aim to surprise people. It’ll be exciting, visceral, and fun. The great thing about Keane shows is that people come with a real desire to let go and immerse themselves in the songs. We’re not ashamed that we’re a very emotive band. People really love to sing their hearts out and let go of their worries.]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/06/interview-tom-chaplin-of-keane/feed/ 1 Check Out: Mt. Desolation – “State of Our Affairs” http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/06/check-out-mt-desolation-state-of-our-affairs/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/06/check-out-mt-desolation-state-of-our-affairs/#comments http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com//wp-content/uploads/2010/06/2010_06June_08_MtDesolationNewSong.jpg Wed, 09 Jun 2010 19:50:08 +0000 Ray Roa http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=46951 If you were wondering what the sum of The Killers, Keane, The Long Winters, and Mumford & Sons actually sounds like, then today is your lucky day. Mt. Desolation — which also features the fiddle of Noah and the Whale‘s Tom Hobden — have released a track from their forthcoming album of “country songs.”

The new super-group debuted a slew of those songs at their debut gig at London’s Luminaire on June 4th, and by looking at the video from the show, a good time was had by all. They all looked very Ralph Lauren in khakis and button-downs, but their clothes couldn’t keep the joy (and nervousness) from showing on their faces.

In fact, vocalists Jesse Quin and Tim Rice-Oxley (both Keane contributors) took the time to post a handwritten love note to fans on the band’s blog.

“Just stopping by to say hello and also to say a massive thanks to those who made it…It was so much fun! Quite scary though!” they wrote. “For those of you who couldn’t make it, we thought we’d give you a little taster of the album, it’s a song called ‘State of Our Affairs’.” (You can download it in exchange for an email address.)

The song is a four-and-a-half-minute introspective slow-burner that features a downtrodden Jesse Quin vocal and chorus that sheds light on the band’s name.

“We’ll still be here,” sings Quin, “when the weather turns and blue skies reappear/when you’re pressed, fallin’/you climb Mount Desolation yet again/and you find we’re all just ordinary men.”

With the Killers’ Ronnie Vannucci’s basic percussion on the background, the song chugs along, adding plucked strings and subtle guitar wash along the way. Hobden brings string arrangements similar to those from the Noah and the Whale track, “The First Days of Spring”.  In fact, “State of Our Affairs” has the same melancholy, introspective vibe as a lot of Noah and the Whale’s stuff, and it’s starting to sound like Mt. Desolation’s debut (save for Rice-Oxley’s “Midnight Ghost”) is going to be a pretty down-tempo affair.

If you live in London, you can check out their next gig on July 10th at the Lexington. Otherwise, check out “State of Our Affairs”, then peep some videos from the band’s first show below.

Image via Alex Lake at twoshortdays.com

“My, My, My” Live @ The Luminaire (June 4, 2010)

“Midnight Ghost” Live @ The Luminaire (June 4, 2010)

]]> Image via Alex Lake at twoshortdays.com "My, My, My" Live @ The Luminaire (June 4, 2010) [youtube MppohCmwn3Q] "Midnight Ghost" Live @ The Luminaire (June 4, 2010) [youtube vVJA9IdaHVo]]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/06/check-out-mt-desolation-state-of-our-affairs/feed/ 1 Keane announces North American tour http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/05/keane-announces-north-american-tour/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/05/keane-announces-north-american-tour/#comments http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com//wp-content/uploads/2010/03/keane1.jpg Sat, 15 May 2010 14:30:42 +0000 Winston Robbins http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=40247 Following this week’s release of its newest project, an eight-track EP entitled Night Train, Keane will embark upon a sizable U.S. tour this summer. Yes, Keane. Remember them? The English alternative boys who brought you such hits as the wildly popular “Somewhere Only We Know”, “Is It Any Wonder”, and “Everybody’s Changing”? They’re still around and still semi-brilliant relevant.

The band is branching out this time and Night Train will include collaborations from Canadian rapper K’naan and Japanese funk emcee Tigarah. In support of the release, Keane has announced 12 U.S. dates so far, as well as a performance at the Mile High Music Festival in Denver on August 14th. The tour starts in Oakland on July 20th and wraps up with the Mile High Performance. Tickets are currently on sale and can be found here.

Opening on the endeavor will be Travis frontman Fran Healy and Ingrid Michaelson. The schedule will go as follows:

Keane 2010 N. American Tour Dates:
07/20 – Oakland, CA @ Fox Theatre
07/21 – GLos Angeles, CA @ The Greek Theatre
07/23 – Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues
07/25 – Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live
07/26 – Dallas, TX @ House of Blues
07/28 – Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre
08/03 – Boston, MA @ Bank of America Pavilion
08/05 – Baltimore, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion
08/06 – Brooklyn, NY @ Waterfront
08/07 – Philadelphia, PA @ Mann Center
08/10 – Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theatre
08/11 – Minneapolis, MN @ 1st Ave.
08/14 – Denver, CO @ Mile High Music Festival

]]> Night Train, Keane will embark upon a sizable U.S. tour this summer. Yes, Keane. Remember them? The English alternative boys who brought you such hits as the wildly popular "Somewhere Only We Know", "Is It Any Wonder", and "Everybody's Changing"? They're still around and still semi-brilliant relevant. The band is branching out this time and Night Train will include collaborations from Canadian rapper K'naan and Japanese funk emcee Tigarah. In support of the release, Keane has announced 12 U.S. dates so far, as well as a performance at the Mile High Music Festival in Denver on August 14th. The tour starts in Oakland on July 20th and wraps up with the Mile High Performance. Tickets are currently on sale and can be found here. Opening on the endeavor will be Travis frontman Fran Healy and Ingrid Michaelson. The schedule will go as follows: Keane 2010 N. American Tour Dates: 07/20 - Oakland, CA @ Fox Theatre 07/21 - GLos Angeles, CA @ The Greek Theatre 07/23 - Las Vegas, NV @ House of Blues 07/25 - Houston, TX @ Warehouse Live 07/26 - Dallas, TX @ House of Blues 07/28 - Chicago, IL @ Chicago Theatre 08/03 - Boston, MA @ Bank of America Pavilion 08/05 - Baltimore, MD @ Merriweather Post Pavilion 08/06 - Brooklyn, NY @ Waterfront 08/07 - Philadelphia, PA @ Mann Center 08/10 - Milwaukee, WI @ Riverside Theatre 08/11 - Minneapolis, MN @ 1st Ave. 08/14 - Denver, CO @ Mile High Music Festival]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/05/keane-announces-north-american-tour/feed/ 0 Album Review: Keane – Night Train EP http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/05/album-review-keane-night-train-ep/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/05/album-review-keane-night-train-ep/#comments http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com//wp-content/uploads/2010/05/keane-nighttrain.jpg Fri, 14 May 2010 11:59:00 +0000 Carson O'Shoney http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=40533 Keane‘s Tom Chaplin is not the kind of guy you would expect to be in rehab for drugs and alcohol. His stage presence is mild at best, his music is mostly slow and calm, and his personal life is all but non-existent as tabloid fodder. Unlike his rehab contemporaries, he shows up to his gigs, behaves like a normal human being, and generally stays out of trouble. He’s no Amy Winehouse or Pete Doherty. But, we’re all human, and he proved that more people struggle with addiction than just the ones who are famous for destructive behavior. After nearly deciding to break up the band, he went to rehab for a few months in 2006 and emerged sober and more in tune with his bandmates.

The Tom Chaplin that emerged from his stint at the Priory Clinic seems much more carefree and happy than his pre-rehab self. This attitude carried on to the rest of the band as they regrouped and went on to release Perfect Symmetry, which was seen as a departure – in that it featured guitars for the first time in any Keane album, and was more synth-heavy than previous efforts. While the album received less than stellar reviews and was a disappointment compared to the massive success of their first two albums, it still went platinum in the U.K. and some critics praised their stylistic shift towards a more upbeat and poppy sound.

As the band toured behind Perfect Symmetry, they wrote and recorded the material that would eventually become the Night Train EP. The mini-album (eight songs spanning 30 minutes) continues Keane’s foray into thicker pop music while going into even riskier territory by inviting Somalian rapper K’Naan to contribute to two songs and collaborating with Japanese emcee Tigarah on another. While piano-band-collaborating-with-rappers is nothing new – see Chris Martin’s collaborations with Jay-Z and Kanye West – it never seems to work out as well in real life as it does on paper. Actually, it doesn’t even look too good on paper to begin with – but either way, Keane decided to go for it, and the results are exactly as you’d imagine… bad.

Night Train begins with an inconsequential but misguiding intro called “House Lights” that seems to set up a dark and moody album. Instead it segues into the complete opposite of that, the synthy and upbeat “Back in Time”, which turns out to be a decent showing of what this “new” Keane is all about. It’s catchy and it’s got a big, synthy hook – nothing earth shattering, but solid for what it is. Although, unfortunately it is not a song that gets better with time. While I didn’t mind it the first time, it became more grating with each successive listen. In any case, any hopes that could build from that song are quickly torn down with the first of two K’Naan collabs – “Stop for a Minute”. K’Naan surprisingly doesn’t sound too out of place among the stomping beat and bouncing synths, but the song just sounds watered down and manufactured specifically for radio airplay.

“Clear Skies” comes next, sounding like a throwback to the days when Keane could be upbeat without being overly poppy, but while it’s pleasant it’s also not very memorable. And just like before, any goodwill created by this song is once again dashed by the Tigarah-featuring “Ishin Denshin (You’ve Got to Help Yourself)”. This is the point where Keane loses all resemblance to its former self. This is bubblegum of the worst kind, cheesy and painful. The music and lyric battle over which is worse throughout the whole song. I had not lost all hope, as up until this point the songs alternated between tolerable and awful, and at this point I would have loved a tolerable song to come next. There was a chance that the song was only so bad because they were under the influence of Tigarah. But then, Keane proved they can do bad all by themselves. Keyboardist Tim Rice-Oxley takes over lead vocals on “Your Love”, but it’s just as cheesy as ever, sounding like an 80’s tribute gone awry.

By the time K’Naan’s second collaboration (“Looking Back”) arrived, I was ready to give up on the album. Opening the song with a sample of the Rocky theme song didn’t help. It just elicited a huge Liz Lemon eyeroll while I just waited for the song to end. Between the sample and the Rocky references in the song, Keane wanted this to be their own triumphant victory and thrilling climax of the album, but instead it just feels like Apollo Creed beat the living hell out of them and this is all they could muster out of the crushed shell of their former selves.

Once the song was over, I really wanted to ignore the fact that there was one more song left – I had totally given up. Maybe it was my exceedingly lowered expectations, but album closer “My Shadow” ended up being the best part of the album. They got back to the basics of what made them famous in the first place – simple and uplifting piano ballads. While regrettably sometimes venturing into The Fray’s territory, it is still much more welcome than the rest of the album.

While the fact that Keane tried to change their sound to accommodate their fans and not put out the same album again and again is commendable, “My Shadow” is a reminder that the reason they started with that formula in the first place is that it’s what works best for them. If they could get back to that, there might still be some decent material left in them. But in the end, Night Train is just a failed experiment from a band who is trying to reestablish themselves in a way that just isn’t flattering.

]]> Perfect Symmetry, which was seen as a departure - in that it featured guitars for the first time in any Keane album, and was more synth-heavy than previous efforts. While the album received less than stellar reviews and was a disappointment compared to the massive success of their first two albums, it still went platinum in the U.K. and some critics praised their stylistic shift towards a more upbeat and poppy sound. As the band toured behind Perfect Symmetry, they wrote and recorded the material that would eventually become the Night Train EP. The mini-album (eight songs spanning 30 minutes) continues Keane’s foray into thicker pop music while going into even riskier territory by inviting Somalian rapper K’Naan to contribute to two songs and collaborating with Japanese emcee Tigarah on another. While piano-band-collaborating-with-rappers is nothing new – see Chris Martin’s collaborations with Jay-Z and Kanye West – it never seems to work out as well in real life as it does on paper. Actually, it doesn’t even look too good on paper to begin with – but either way, Keane decided to go for it, and the results are exactly as you’d imagine… bad. Night Train begins with an inconsequential but misguiding intro called “House Lights” that seems to set up a dark and moody album. Instead it segues into the complete opposite of that, the synthy and upbeat “Back in Time”, which turns out to be a decent showing of what this “new” Keane is all about. It’s catchy and it’s got a big, synthy hook – nothing earth shattering, but solid for what it is. Although, unfortunately it is not a song that gets better with time. While I didn't mind it the first time, it became more grating with each successive listen. In any case, any hopes that could build from that song are quickly torn down with the first of two K’Naan collabs – “Stop for a Minute”. K’Naan surprisingly doesn’t sound too out of place among the stomping beat and bouncing synths, but the song just sounds watered down and manufactured specifically for radio airplay. “Clear Skies” comes next, sounding like a throwback to the days when Keane could be upbeat without being overly poppy, but while it's pleasant it's also not very memorable. And just like before, any goodwill created by this song is once again dashed by the Tigarah-featuring “Ishin Denshin (You’ve Got to Help Yourself)”. This is the point where Keane loses all resemblance to its former self. This is bubblegum of the worst kind, cheesy and painful. The music and lyric battle over which is worse throughout the whole song. I had not lost all hope, as up until this point the songs alternated between tolerable and awful, and at this point I would have loved a tolerable song to come next. There was a chance that the song was only so bad because they were under the influence of Tigarah. But then, Keane proved they can do bad all by themselves. Keyboardist Tim Rice-Oxley takes over lead vocals on “Your Love”, but it’s just as cheesy as ever, sounding like an 80’s tribute gone awry. By the time K'Naan's second collaboration ("Looking Back") arrived, I was ready to give up on the album. Opening the song with a sample of the Rocky theme song didn't help. It just elicited a huge Liz Lemon eyeroll while I just waited for the song to end. Between the sample and the Rocky references in the song, Keane wanted this to be their own triumphant victory and thrilling climax of the album, but instead it just feels like Apollo Creed beat the living hell out of them and this is all they could muster out of the crushed shell of their former selves. Once the song was over, I really wanted to ignore the fact that there was one more song left - I had totally given up. Maybe it was my exceedingly lowered expectations, but album closer "My Shadow" ended up being the best part of the album. They got back to the basics of what made them famous in the first place - simple and uplifting piano ballads. While regrettably sometimes venturing into The Fray's territory, it is still much more welcome than the rest of the album. While the fact that Keane tried to change their sound to accommodate their fans and not put out the same album again and again is commendable, "My Shadow" is a reminder that the reason they started with that formula in the first place is that it's what works best for them. If they could get back to that, there might still be some decent material left in them. But in the end, Night Train is just a failed experiment from a band who is trying to reestablish themselves in a way that just isn't flattering.]]> 20 http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/05/album-review-keane-night-train-ep/feed/ 4 On Sale: Friday, May 14th, 2010 http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/05/on-sale-friday-may-14th-2010/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/05/on-sale-friday-may-14th-2010/#comments http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com//wp-content/uploads/2010/03/onsaletoday.jpg Thu, 13 May 2010 21:00:44 +0000 Emma Ramsay http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=40732 The following tickets are on sale beginning Friday, May 14th, 2010. Oh, and did you know you can support CoS simply by buying through the links below? Talk about an added incentive!

Among the tickets on sale Friday include Broken Social Scene, Lady Gaga, Swans, Keane, Danzig, and Rufus Wainwright.

Broken Social Scene:

What: North American tour

When: September – October

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM Local Time

Danzig:

What: North American tour

When: June

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM Local Time

Empire of the Sun:

What: Tour dates for New York, NY

When: August 8th

Tixs: $25.00

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 12:00 PM EST

Keane:

What: North American tour

When: July – August

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM Local Time

Lady Gaga:

What: North American tour

When: March – April 2011

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM Local Time

Rufus Wainwright:

What: Tour dates for Bethesda, MD: Boston, MA; & Napa, CA

When: September-October

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM Local Time

Swans:

What: North American tour

When: September-October

Tixs: Price varies depending on location

Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM Local Time

Are we missing anything? Drop us a comment below!

]]> Broken Social Scene: What: North American tour When: September – October Tixs: Price varies depending on location Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM Local Time Danzig: What: North American tour When: June Tixs: Price varies depending on location Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM Local Time Empire of the Sun: What: Tour dates for New York, NY When: August 8th Tixs: $25.00 Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 12:00 PM EST Keane: What: North American tour When: July - August Tixs: Price varies depending on location Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM Local Time Lady Gaga: What: North American tour When: March - April 2011 Tixs: Price varies depending on location Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM Local Time Rufus Wainwright: What: Tour dates for Bethesda, MD: Boston, MA; & Napa, CA When: September-October Tixs: Price varies depending on location Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM Local Time Swans: What: North American tour When: September-October Tixs: Price varies depending on location Buy: Ticketmaster.com at 10:00 AM Local Time Are we missing anything? Drop us a comment below!]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/05/on-sale-friday-may-14th-2010/feed/ 0 Killers + Keane + Long Winters + Mumford & Sons = Mt. Desolation http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/04/killers-keane-long-winters-mumford-sons-mt-desolation/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/04/killers-keane-long-winters-mumford-sons-mt-desolation/#comments http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com//wp-content/uploads/2010/04/md.jpg Mon, 19 Apr 2010 21:10:07 +0000 Alex Young http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=35622 I joked earlier today about 2010 being the year of the autoharp. While that might not necessarily be true, the first four months have featured an influx of all-star collectives from various members of high-profile indie outfits. Case in point GAYNGS, The Living Sisters, NOVELS, MG&V, and Apparatjik. Here’s another one for your listening pleasures.

Per TwentyFourBit and NME, Long Winters singer John Roderick, Killers drummer Ronnie Vannucci, Keane keyboard player/songwriter Tim Rice-Oxley and live bassist Jesse Quin, Mumford & Sons banjo player Winston Marshall, and Noah and The Whale fiddle player Tom Hobden recently came together to form Mt Desolation.

The all-star collective is currently working on “an album of country songs” with producer Emery Dobyns in London, with a late 2010 release date planned. What’s more, Mt. Desolation plans to make its live debut at the Luminaire in London on June 4th. Until then, you can watch for updates via the band’s personal blog.

]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/04/killers-keane-long-winters-mumford-sons-mt-desolation/feed/ 0 Arcade Fire, Pavement, Weezer lead Osheaga 2010 http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/03/arcade-fire-pavement-weezer-lead-osheaga-2010/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/03/arcade-fire-pavement-weezer-lead-osheaga-2010/#comments http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com//wp-content/uploads/2010/03/arcadefire.jpg Mon, 22 Mar 2010 14:10:26 +0000 Alex Young http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=29804 Well, we now know have our first North American Arcade Fire show for 2010. Thanks to the Montreal based Osheaga Music Festival, the acclaimed Canadian outfit will be appearing alongside a stellar lineup that includes Pavement, Weezer, The National, Deadmau5, The Black Keys, Metric, Keane, The Black Keys, Stars, Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, Jimmy Cliff, Beach House, The Cat Empire, The Gaslight Anthem, Jamie Lidell, Robyn, Frank Turner, Blitzen Trapper, Charlie Winston, and more between July 31st and August 1st at Parc Jean-Drapeau.

What’s more, in the days proceeding the festival, Osheaga will bring a series of acts to various venues across the city. So far, Chromeo is confirmed in Osheaga In The City. Additional acts will be announced in the weeks to come.

Tickets for both Osheaga In The Park and Osheaga In The City will go on sale starting Tuesday, March 23rd at noon via the festival’s website.

]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/03/arcade-fire-pavement-weezer-lead-osheaga-2010/feed/ 3 Keane speed toward release of Night Train with promises of more touring http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/03/keane-speed-toward-release-of-night-train-with-promises-of-more-touring/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/03/keane-speed-toward-release-of-night-train-with-promises-of-more-touring/#comments http://c438342.r42.cf2.rackcdn.com//wp-content/uploads/2010/03/keane1.jpg Mon, 01 Mar 2010 14:30:22 +0000 Chris Coplan http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=25521 We already got you super excited for that new Keane EP, Night Train. How could you not be giddy with joy with cameos by Japanese MC Tigarah and Somali/Canadian rapper K’Naan? Well, the wait is almost over as the EP is now scheduled to hit stores on May 11th.

Other than that, we haven’t much else to offer you other than the band that plowed through 28 countries in support of their Perfect Symmetry album will once again hit the shores of North America this spring. When, you ask? We’ll tell you as soon as they stop teasing us. Until then, those of you in the UK can enjoy the band as they tour forests (yes the place where trees and squirrels and maybe some deer live) beginning this June.

Night Train hits stores May 11th via Cherrytree/Interscope Records.

Keane 2010 UK Forests Tour:
06/10 – Suffolk, UK @ Thetford Forest
06/11 – Kent, UK @ Bedgebury Pinetum
06/18 – Gloucestershire, UK @ Westonbirt Arboretum
06/19 – Nottinghamshire, UK @ Sherwood Pines Forest
06/25 – North Yorkshire, UK @ Dalby Forest
06/26 – Staffordshire, UK @ Cannock Chase Forest

]]> Night Train. How could you not be giddy with joy with cameos by Japanese MC Tigarah and Somali/Canadian rapper K'Naan? Well, the wait is almost over as the EP is now scheduled to hit stores on May 11th. Other than that, we haven't much else to offer you other than the band that plowed through 28 countries in support of their Perfect Symmetry album will once again hit the shores of North America this spring. When, you ask? We'll tell you as soon as they stop teasing us. Until then, those of you in the UK can enjoy the band as they tour forests (yes the place where trees and squirrels and maybe some deer live) beginning this June. Night Train hits stores May 11th via Cherrytree/Interscope Records. Keane 2010 UK Forests Tour: 06/10 - Suffolk, UK @ Thetford Forest 06/11 - Kent, UK @ Bedgebury Pinetum 06/18 - Gloucestershire, UK @ Westonbirt Arboretum 06/19 - Nottinghamshire, UK @ Sherwood Pines Forest 06/25 - North Yorkshire, UK @ Dalby Forest 06/26 - Staffordshire, UK @ Cannock Chase Forest]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/03/keane-speed-toward-release-of-night-train-with-promises-of-more-touring/feed/ 0 Filter rounds up Beck, Vampire Weekend, Grizzly Bear for Haiti benefit LP http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/02/filter-rounds-up-beck-vampire-weekend-grizzly-bear-for-haiti-benefit-lp/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/02/filter-rounds-up-beck-vampire-weekend-grizzly-bear-for-haiti-benefit-lp/#comments Mon, 22 Feb 2010 20:30:12 +0000 Alex Young http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=25411 In the six weeks that have followed the Haitian earthquake, the entire world has opened its arm and come to aid of the already impoverished country. Specifically in the music world, many of our favorite artists have lent their talents to benefit concerts and compilations. Some have even collaborated together. And while there’s no real point in judging which one was the best (they’re all for charity after all!), the benefit album recently put together by Filter Magazine and American Eagle is damn impressive. Hell, it sports a music festival-esque lineup!

The 17-song tracklisting for Hear to Help is basically a who’s who in indie rock. The Strokes’ Julian Casablancas, Minus The Bear, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and The Breeders all contribute original material, while bands like Vampire Weekend, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and Surfer Blood get the remix treatment. Then, there’s an acoustic version of Beck’s” Volcano”, a Snow Patrol rendition of Bright Eyes’ “You Will. You? Will. You? Will. You? Will”, and a Grizzly Bear cover of Hot Chip’s “Boy From School”.

The entire thing, which will cost you only $10, will be available starting February 24th via ae.com. It will receive a physical release on be available in all 938 American Eagle stores across the U.S. and Canada through March 19th. One hundred percent of the money raised will go directly to Oxfam America.

Hear to Help Tracklist:
01. Beck – “Volcano” (acoustic version)
02. Snow Patrol – “You Will. You? Will. You? Will. You? Will.” (Bright Eyes cover)
03. Keane – “Black Burning Heart” (version français)
04. Air – “So Light Is Her Footfall” (Breakbot Remix)
05. Charlotte Gainsbourg – “Dandelion”
06. Julian Casablancas – “Long Island Blues”
07. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – “Am I Only” (ReMix)
08 . The Breeders – “We’re Gonna Rise”
09. Vampire Weekend – “Cousinz” (Toy Selectah Mex-More Remix)
10. Noah And The Whale- “Love of An Orchestra” (Chew Fu Fix)
11.  Camera Obscura – “The World is Full of Strangers”
12. Minus The Bear – “Broken China”
13. Of Montreal – “Take Me Out” (Live Cover Of Franz Ferdinand)
14. Busdriver – “Running Water”
15. Surfer Blood – “Take It Easy” (Drop the Lime Remix)
16. Grizzly Bear – “Boy From School”(Hot Chip cover)
17. AM – “Endings Are Beginnings” (Piano Mix)

]]> Filter Magazine and American Eagle is damn impressive. Hell, it sports a music festival-esque lineup! The 17-song tracklisting for Hear to Help is basically a who's who in indie rock. The Strokes' Julian Casablancas, Minus The Bear, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and The Breeders all contribute original material, while bands like Vampire Weekend, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, and Surfer Blood get the remix treatment. Then, there's an acoustic version of Beck's" Volcano", a Snow Patrol rendition of Bright Eyes' "You Will. You? Will. You? Will. You? Will", and a Grizzly Bear cover of Hot Chip's "Boy From School". The entire thing, which will cost you only $10, will be available starting February 24th via ae.com. It will receive a physical release on be available in all 938 American Eagle stores across the U.S. and Canada through March 19th. One hundred percent of the money raised will go directly to Oxfam America. Hear to Help Tracklist: 01. Beck - “Volcano” (acoustic version) 02. Snow Patrol - “You Will. You? Will. You? Will. You? Will.” (Bright Eyes cover) 03. Keane - “Black Burning Heart” (version français) 04. Air - “So Light Is Her Footfall” (Breakbot Remix) 05. Charlotte Gainsbourg - “Dandelion” 06. Julian Casablancas - “Long Island Blues” 07. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club - “Am I Only” (ReMix) 08 . The Breeders - “We're Gonna Rise” 09. Vampire Weekend - “Cousinz” (Toy Selectah Mex-More Remix) 10. Noah And The Whale- “Love of An Orchestra” (Chew Fu Fix) 11.  Camera Obscura - “The World is Full of Strangers” 12. Minus The Bear - “Broken China” 13. Of Montreal - “Take Me Out” (Live Cover Of Franz Ferdinand) 14. Busdriver - “Running Water” 15. Surfer Blood - “Take It Easy” (Drop the Lime Remix) 16. Grizzly Bear - “Boy From School”(Hot Chip cover) 17. AM - "Endings Are Beginnings” (Piano Mix)]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2010/02/filter-rounds-up-beck-vampire-weekend-grizzly-bear-for-haiti-benefit-lp/feed/ 4 Keane speeds into 2010 with new EP and U.K. “forest” tour http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/12/keane-speeds-into-2010-with-new-ep-and-uk-forest-tour/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/12/keane-speeds-into-2010-with-new-ep-and-uk-forest-tour/#comments Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:15:14 +0000 Joe Marvilli http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=22456 Even though Keane has been on tour since October 2008 in support of its third album Perfect Symmetry, the Brit rockers seem to have found the time to record a new EP. Titled The Night Train, the eight-song record will be released on May 8th.

The EP, which is titled after the band’s favorite mode of transportation!, was written and recorded in between shows during the aforementioned 2009 world tour. Among the eight selections included are “Looking Back”, the K’Naan-aided “Stop For A Minute”, and a collaboration with Japanese MC Tigarah titled “Ishin Denshin (You’ve Got To Help Yourself)”. What’s more, there’s also a bit of mixup on the vocal front, as main songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Tim Rice-Oxley will get to practice his lead vocal on “Your Love”.

“I think those tracks show us in a completely different light,” frontman Tom Chaplin said of the EP (via NME). No kidding.The Night Train EP will be available for pre-order through the band’s website starting on December 2nd.

But wait, there’s more! To seemingly wrap the whole Perfect Symmetry era up, Keane has also announced a new set of UK tour dates for 2010. These won’t be in your usually theaters and arenas though. The six shows will all take place in forests throughout England. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on December 4th. Keep an eye out for wild animals!

Keane 2010 UK Forests Tour:
06/10 – Suffolk, UK @ Thetford Forest
06/11 – Kent, UK @ Bedgebury Pinetum
06/18 – Gloucestershire, UK @ Westonbirt Arboretum
06/19 – Nottinghamshire, UK @ Sherwood Pines Forest
06/25 – North Yorkshire, UK @ Dalby Forest
06/26 – Staffordshire, UK @ Cannock Chase Forest

]]> Perfect Symmetry, the Brit rockers seem to have found the time to record a new EP. Titled The Night Train, the eight-song record will be released on May 8th. The EP, which is titled after the band's favorite mode of transportation!, was written and recorded in between shows during the aforementioned 2009 world tour. Among the eight selections included are "Looking Back", the K'Naan-aided "Stop For A Minute", and a collaboration with Japanese MC Tigarah titled "Ishin Denshin (You've Got To Help Yourself)". What's more, there's also a bit of mixup on the vocal front, as main songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Tim Rice-Oxley will get to practice his lead vocal on "Your Love". "I think those tracks show us in a completely different light," frontman Tom Chaplin said of the EP (via NME). No kidding.The Night Train EP will be available for pre-order through the band's website starting on December 2nd. But wait, there's more! To seemingly wrap the whole Perfect Symmetry era up, Keane has also announced a new set of UK tour dates for 2010. These won't be in your usually theaters and arenas though. The six shows will all take place in forests throughout England. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on December 4th. Keep an eye out for wild animals! Keane 2010 UK Forests Tour: 06/10 - Suffolk, UK @ Thetford Forest 06/11 - Kent, UK @ Bedgebury Pinetum 06/18 - Gloucestershire, UK @ Westonbirt Arboretum 06/19 - Nottinghamshire, UK @ Sherwood Pines Forest 06/25 - North Yorkshire, UK @ Dalby Forest 06/26 - Staffordshire, UK @ Cannock Chase Forest]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/12/keane-speeds-into-2010-with-new-ep-and-uk-forest-tour/feed/ 0 Rhythms del Mundo return with new benefit album http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/08/rhythms-del-mundo-return-with-new-benefit-album/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/08/rhythms-del-mundo-return-with-new-benefit-album/#comments Mon, 03 Aug 2009 16:15:04 +0000 Alex Young http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=17966 In 2006, inspired by the events of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, a group of high-profile musicians got together for a benefit album. Proceeds from the album went to the nonprofit organization Artists Project Earth, which raises awareness and funds for climate change projects and for disaster relief efforts. The album, titled Rhythms del Mundo Cuba, fused the styles and sounds of Latin American favorites (Buena Vista Social Club) with tracks from U.S. and European artists such as U2, Sting, Coldplay, and the Arctic Monkeys.

Now Rhythms del Mundo is doing it all over again. On August 11th, another batch of music heavyweights will look to change the world with the release of Rhythms Del Mundo Classics. The Killers (covering The Eagles’ “Hotel California”), KT Tunstall, Editors, Augusto Enriquez, One Republic, The Kooks, and Eros Ramazzott recorded songs exclusively for the release.

Also included will be a Latin-flavored twist on previously recorded songs like The Rolling Stones’ “Under the Boardwalk”, Amy Winehouse’s cover of Sam Cooke’s “Cupid”, and John Lennon’s “Imagine”.

“These great artists have given up their time to be part of an album that will raise awareness and funds for the most crucial crisis facing us today,” said Rhythms del Mundo’s producer Kenny Young. “Climate change is our greatest global challenge – so join us and act now to do something positive for our future.”

Several of the album’s tracks can currently be streamed via the album’s MySpace.

Rhythms Del Mundo Classics Tracklist:
01. Hotel California – RDM ft. The Killers
02. Cupid – RDM ft. Amy Winehouse
03. Imagine – RDM ft. Jack Johnson
04. Under Pressure – RDM ft. Keane
05. Walk On The Wild Side – RDM ft. Editors
06. I Heard It Through The Grapevine – RDM ft. Kaiser Chiefs
07. Satisfaction – RDM ft. Cat Power
08. Under The Boardwalk – RDM ft. The Rolling Stones
09. Runaway – RDM ft. The Zutons
10. Because The Night – RDM ft. KT Tunstall
11. Bohemian Rhapsody – RDM ft. Augusto Enriquez
12. For What It’s Worth – RDM ft. OneRepublic
13. Big Yellow Taxi – RDM ft. Aquila Rose & Idana Valdes
14. Beat It – RDM ft. Fall Out Boy & John Mayer
15. Purple Haze – RDM
16. Smells Like Teen Spirit – RDM ft. Shanade
17. Are You Ready For Love – RDM ft. The Kooks
18. Mi Cherie Amour – RDM ft. Eros Ramazzotti
19. Stairway To Heaven – RDM ft. Rodrigo & Gabriela

]]> Rhythms del Mundo Cuba, fused the styles and sounds of Latin American favorites (Buena Vista Social Club) with tracks from U.S. and European artists such as U2, Sting, Coldplay, and the Arctic Monkeys. Now Rhythms del Mundo is doing it all over again. On August 11th, another batch of music heavyweights will look to change the world with the release of Rhythms Del Mundo Classics. The Killers (covering The Eagles' "Hotel California"), KT Tunstall, Editors, Augusto Enriquez, One Republic, The Kooks, and Eros Ramazzott recorded songs exclusively for the release. Also included will be a Latin-flavored twist on previously recorded songs like The Rolling Stones' "Under the Boardwalk", Amy Winehouse's cover of Sam Cooke's "Cupid", and John Lennon's "Imagine". “These great artists have given up their time to be part of an album that will raise awareness and funds for the most crucial crisis facing us today," said Rhythms del Mundo’s producer Kenny Young. "Climate change is our greatest global challenge – so join us and act now to do something positive for our future.” Several of the album's tracks can currently be streamed via the album's MySpace. Rhythms Del Mundo Classics Tracklist: 01. Hotel California - RDM ft. The Killers 02. Cupid - RDM ft. Amy Winehouse 03. Imagine - RDM ft. Jack Johnson 04. Under Pressure - RDM ft. Keane 05. Walk On The Wild Side - RDM ft. Editors 06. I Heard It Through The Grapevine - RDM ft. Kaiser Chiefs 07. Satisfaction - RDM ft. Cat Power 08. Under The Boardwalk - RDM ft. The Rolling Stones 09. Runaway - RDM ft. The Zutons 10. Because The Night - RDM ft. KT Tunstall 11. Bohemian Rhapsody - RDM ft. Augusto Enriquez 12. For What It's Worth - RDM ft. OneRepublic 13. Big Yellow Taxi - RDM ft. Aquila Rose & Idana Valdes 14. Beat It - RDM ft. Fall Out Boy & John Mayer 15. Purple Haze - RDM 16. Smells Like Teen Spirit - RDM ft. Shanade 17. Are You Ready For Love - RDM ft. The Kooks 18. Mi Cherie Amour - RDM ft. Eros Ramazzotti 19. Stairway To Heaven - RDM ft. Rodrigo & Gabriela]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/08/rhythms-del-mundo-return-with-new-benefit-album/feed/ 3 Keane finishes U.S. tour at Radio City Music Hall (5/27) http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/05/keane-finishes-us-tour-in-perfect-symmetry-at-radio-city-music-hall-527/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/05/keane-finishes-us-tour-in-perfect-symmetry-at-radio-city-music-hall-527/#comments Fri, 29 May 2009 20:00:57 +0000 Joe Marvilli http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=15517 This past Wednesday, English trio Keane finished the last of its North American leg in style, at New York’s prestigious Radio City Music Hall. In support of its third studio album, 2008’s Perfect Symmetry, the band hit the Big Apple with confidence and precision, something in stark contrast to when they were largely riding on the success of 2004’s Hopes and Fears.

After the spacey rock of the Helio Sequence and the strong guitar work of Mat Kearney, Keane took to the stage ready to celebrate its grand tour finale. Playing against a backdrop of colored triangles, the band started the show with a one-two punch of “The Lovers Are Losing” and “Everybody’s Changing”. While these two songs made for a fine opening, the show didn’t really take off until they kicked into “Again and Again”.  From there, the set hit all the right notes with every subsequent song.

While the band did have access to two video screens on both sides of the stage, they only used them occasionally. This worked in their favor because the audience was focused on the three throughout most of the show anyhow. The semi-rare use of the monitors also meant that when there was something on the screens, you knew the band wanted you to pay attention to them. At various times, the screens flashed videos that included landscapes moving into each other and various words, all in a style that would feel at home on a Super Nintendo.

Even though the visuals did add to the songs when they were used, the real focus was on the band. It was nearly impossible for the focus to be anywhere else.  From the first song to the last, Keane held the audience’s attention through their nearly boundless energy and various arrangements. Focusing mostly on cuts from Hopes and Fears and Perfect Symmetry (only three songs were played from Under the Iron Sea), the band switched the show up enough to keep it from getting stale. Halfway through the show, lead singer Tom Chaplin went onto one of the rafters near the crowd for a solo acoustic performance of “Playing Along.”  This was followed by two more acoustic performances,this time around with the full band, during which Chaplin introduced his bandmates as, “the three most handsome tourists in New York.”

Speaking of Chaplin, this show proved what an amazing and underrated frontman he is. Throughout the concert, he got the crowd to sing along, moved all around the stage, and ran halfway up the rafters on both sides. He did all this and still managed to sound as strong as he does on the record. He hit the high falsetto on “You Don’t See Me”, bellowed out “wrap yourself around me” on “Perfect Symmetry”, and sounded fragile on a short cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “The River”.  Several tracks also required him to play guitar, which he did a competent job at, but it was clear that he feels more comfortable out on the rafters than behind a mic stand.

Chaplin wasn’t the only one with energy. Tim Rice-Oxley is one of the liveliest pianists in rock today and he proves it on stage. On almost every song, he was bouncing his leg to the beat, swinging his head around, and generally dancing in his seat. Despite all this movement, he never missed a note.

Since this was the last show of the U.S. leg, Keane ended the concert with a surprise encore of David Bowie and Freddie Mercury’s infamous duet, “Under Pressure”. Many fans had already started to leave and quickly rushed back to dance in the aisles, making the ending feel really special and unique. All in all, Keane really pushed to make this show a great one for themselves and their fans. Not only did they succeed, but they went beyond the crowd’s expectations.

Set List:
The Lovers Are Losing
Everybody’s Changing
Bend and Break
We Might As Well Be Strangers
Again and Again
Your Eyes Open
This is the Last Time
Playing Along
Try Again
Early Winter
The River (Bruce Springsteen cover)
You Haven’t Told Me Anything
Spiralling
You Don’t See Me
Perfect Symmetry
Somewhere Only We Know
Crystal Ball
Encore:
My Shadow
Is It Any Wonder?
Bedshaped
2nd Encore:
Under Pressure

]]> Perfect Symmetry, the band hit the Big Apple with confidence and precision, something in stark contrast to when they were largely riding on the success of 2004’s Hopes and Fears. After the spacey rock of the Helio Sequence and the strong guitar work of Mat Kearney, Keane took to the stage ready to celebrate its grand tour finale. Playing against a backdrop of colored triangles, the band started the show with a one-two punch of “The Lovers Are Losing” and “Everybody’s Changing”. While these two songs made for a fine opening, the show didn’t really take off until they kicked into “Again and Again”.  From there, the set hit all the right notes with every subsequent song. While the band did have access to two video screens on both sides of the stage, they only used them occasionally. This worked in their favor because the audience was focused on the three throughout most of the show anyhow. The semi-rare use of the monitors also meant that when there was something on the screens, you knew the band wanted you to pay attention to them. At various times, the screens flashed videos that included landscapes moving into each other and various words, all in a style that would feel at home on a Super Nintendo. Even though the visuals did add to the songs when they were used, the real focus was on the band. It was nearly impossible for the focus to be anywhere else.  From the first song to the last, Keane held the audience’s attention through their nearly boundless energy and various arrangements. Focusing mostly on cuts from Hopes and Fears and Perfect Symmetry (only three songs were played from Under the Iron Sea), the band switched the show up enough to keep it from getting stale. Halfway through the show, lead singer Tom Chaplin went onto one of the rafters near the crowd for a solo acoustic performance of “Playing Along.”  This was followed by two more acoustic performances,this time around with the full band, during which Chaplin introduced his bandmates as, “the three most handsome tourists in New York.” Speaking of Chaplin, this show proved what an amazing and underrated frontman he is. Throughout the concert, he got the crowd to sing along, moved all around the stage, and ran halfway up the rafters on both sides. He did all this and still managed to sound as strong as he does on the record. He hit the high falsetto on “You Don’t See Me”, bellowed out “wrap yourself around me” on “Perfect Symmetry”, and sounded fragile on a short cover of Bruce Springsteen’s “The River”.  Several tracks also required him to play guitar, which he did a competent job at, but it was clear that he feels more comfortable out on the rafters than behind a mic stand. Chaplin wasn’t the only one with energy. Tim Rice-Oxley is one of the liveliest pianists in rock today and he proves it on stage. On almost every song, he was bouncing his leg to the beat, swinging his head around, and generally dancing in his seat. Despite all this movement, he never missed a note. Since this was the last show of the U.S. leg, Keane ended the concert with a surprise encore of David Bowie and Freddie Mercury's infamous duet, “Under Pressure”. Many fans had already started to leave and quickly rushed back to dance in the aisles, making the ending feel really special and unique. All in all, Keane really pushed to make this show a great one for themselves and their fans. Not only did they succeed, but they went beyond the crowd's expectations. Set List: The Lovers Are Losing Everybody’s Changing Bend and Break We Might As Well Be Strangers Again and Again Your Eyes Open This is the Last Time Playing Along Try Again Early Winter The River (Bruce Springsteen cover) You Haven’t Told Me Anything Spiralling You Don’t See Me Perfect Symmetry Somewhere Only We Know Crystal Ball Encore: My Shadow Is It Any Wonder? Bedshaped 2nd Encore: Under Pressure ]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/05/keane-finishes-us-tour-in-perfect-symmetry-at-radio-city-music-hall-527/feed/ 0 Keane takes perfection on the road http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/02/keane-takes-perfection-on-the-road/ http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/02/keane-takes-perfection-on-the-road/#comments Tue, 24 Feb 2009 14:05:37 +0000 Alex Young http://consequenceofsound.net/?p=12359 It may have taken a little longer than expected, but Keane will soon hit the U.S. in support of last year’s Perfect Symmetry. You know, the English outfit’s third studio album that despite rather unfavorable critical reception, still managed to chart in at #1 in the U.K. and #7 in the U.S. Well, following their remaining Latin American tour dates, Tom Chaplin and Co. will head to the U.S. beginning in early May for a 12-date endeavor in support of the release.

Mat Kearney, who will be celebrating the release of his own new album, City of Black & White, on May 19th, will serve as support. Pre-sale tickets are currently available via keanemusic.com.

Keane 2009 Tour Dates:
02/25 – Guadalajara, MX @ Auditorio Telmex
02/27 – Mexico City, MX @ Sports Palace
02/28 – Monterrey, MX @ Arena Monterrey
03/03 – Bogota, CO @ Coliseo El Campin
03/05 – Santaiago, CL @ Movistar Arena
03/07 – Buenos Aires, AR @ Club Ciudad de Bs. As.
03/10 – Sao Paulo, BR @ Credicard Hall
03/12 – Sao Pedro, BR @ Chevrolet Hall
03/13 – Rio de Janeiro, BR @ The Fox Theater
05/08 – Oakland, CA @ The Fox Theater
05/09 – Hollywood, CA @ Hollywood Palladium *
05/12 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kingsbury Hall *
05/13 – Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre *
05/15 – St. Paul, MN @ Myth *
05/16 – Chicago, IL @ Aragon Ballroom *
05/19 – Washington, DC @ Constitution Hall *
05/20 – Upper Darby, PA @ Tower Theater *
05/21 – Boston, MA @ Bank of America Pavilion *
05/23 – Toronto, ON @ The Sound Academy *
05/24 – Cleveland, OH @ Time Warner Cable Amphitheatre *
05/27 – New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall *

* = w/ Mat Kearney

]]> Perfect Symmetry. You know, the English outfit's third studio album that despite rather unfavorable critical reception, still managed to chart in at #1 in the U.K. and #7 in the U.S. Well, following their remaining Latin American tour dates, Tom Chaplin and Co. will head to the U.S. beginning in early May for a 12-date endeavor in support of the release. Mat Kearney, who will be celebrating the release of his own new album, City of Black & White, on May 19th, will serve as support. Pre-sale tickets are currently available via keanemusic.com. Keane 2009 Tour Dates: 02/25 - Guadalajara, MX @ Auditorio Telmex 02/27 - Mexico City, MX @ Sports Palace 02/28 - Monterrey, MX @ Arena Monterrey 03/03 - Bogota, CO @ Coliseo El Campin 03/05 - Santaiago, CL @ Movistar Arena 03/07 - Buenos Aires, AR @ Club Ciudad de Bs. As. 03/10 - Sao Paulo, BR @ Credicard Hall 03/12 - Sao Pedro, BR @ Chevrolet Hall 03/13 - Rio de Janeiro, BR @ The Fox Theater 05/08 - Oakland, CA @ The Fox Theater 05/09 - Hollywood, CA @ Hollywood Palladium * 05/12 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Kingsbury Hall * 05/13 - Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre * 05/15 - St. Paul, MN @ Myth * 05/16 - Chicago, IL @ Aragon Ballroom * 05/19 - Washington, DC @ Constitution Hall * 05/20 - Upper Darby, PA @ Tower Theater * 05/21 - Boston, MA @ Bank of America Pavilion * 05/23 - Toronto, ON @ The Sound Academy * 05/24 - Cleveland, OH @ Time Warner Cable Amphitheatre * 05/27 - New York, NY @ Radio City Music Hall * * = w/ Mat Kearney]]> http://consequenceofsound.net/2009/02/keane-takes-perfection-on-the-road/feed/ 0